Scared to take 5HTP?

[waitingontheworld]

Hi there. After doing lots of research on 5HTP, I decided to order some(from amazon). I've had depression/anxiety for nearly 5 years now and have refused to take medication in the past. I was so excited to finally find something natural that seemed to work but being the paranoid person that I am, I started googling things about serotonin syndrome and other side effects. I'm terrified of taking any medication (I don't even take a pain killer if I have a headache) so now even thinking about taking 5htp is making me panic. Can anyone who has taken it reassure me a little? I really want to take it to see if this is the solution for me but I don't think I can make myself do it!

[Eyji1]

Serotonin syndrome is very rare. The likelihood of you getting it are so slim that it's not worth thinking about.

Hope you muster up the courage to try new things man. Best of luck.

[NoPoet]

Agreed, you would only risk serotonin syndrome if you were proper abusing it or combining it with a medication that already affected the brain's serotonin levels. I've never actually heard of anyone who's had it. Certainly no-one on NMP has ever told me about it in the last 4 years.

[whyme?]

I had looked into 5htp myself,I was looking on holland & barret at it in the sale the other week.I have had prescription medication and I am fed up of it.

Let me know how you get on on this thread,I'll take a look on amazon myself at them,didn't realise they sold 5htp.

[Jon644]

I am on 5 HTP. I was on SSRI Citalopram last year but that was a disaster for me. I am the same with worry about medications. 5-HTP is safe. The worst recorded thing i have found is a upset stomach. The level of serotonin in 5-HTP is small. It is often considered as a food supplement rather than 'medication' however it works for me.

As said before serotonin shock is rare. If you mixed an SSRI with St Johns Wort you could get it. Not from 5-HTP. Ps. Holland and barratt are doing a penny sale on 5_HTP now